1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for doping and forming a trench in a semiconductor body.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Such a process is known from the printed U.S. Patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,616. Therein, the surface of a semiconductor body is doped through a mask window and, after an elevated temperature step, a trench structure is produced by an anisotropic dry etching process, whereby the dopant in the bottom region of the trench is removed by this etching step within the mask window. During the subsequent wet etching of a V trench, the laterally highly doped regions act as an etching stop, that is, they prevent any lateral etching below the window defined by the mask.
A further process for doping a semiconductor body is known from the printed publication EP 176 778. Here, by means of small additional windows in the margin regions of an implantation mask, with the size and number of such windows being dependent on the distance to the mask window proper, a doping profile is generated in the margin region of the mask, which doping profile features a laterally flat run and approaches gradually the surface of the semiconductor body in order to increase the breakthrough voltage of semiconductor elements. The disadvantage with this process is that the flat run zones produced require a significant amount of space, and this is an obstacle for a space-saving integration. Furthermore, comprehensive process and device simulations are necessary to calculate the exact number, position, and size of the windows in the doping agent masks.
Another aim with regard to the development in the area of semiconductor technology is to develop space-saving structures which feature low field strengths even for higher blocking voltages, in order to avoid the generation of charge carriers as such a generation causes a breakthrough within the silicon layer. A further aim is to decrease further the thermal budget in the manufacturing process of semiconductor structures by avoiding or shortening high temperature processes in order to produce flatter doping agent profiles within a semiconductor body.